I’ve been commuting into Waterloo from Surrey and then onto Liverpool Street via the Waterloo and City line. It’s 15 minutes from Waterloo to Liverpool Street, that opens up a bundle of places like Dorking, Walton, Cobham, Woking etc that are no more expensive than the places you’ve mentioned, all pretty nice and well within your time limit.

Some of the villages just outside are lovely

i had the good fortune to grow up in one. i did however have to suffer Willsborough and Kennington first though, thankfully i was spared the delights of Stanhope and the local intelligensia.

Which village out of interest?

Stone (not the dartford one)

Not aware of that one, somewhere near Bethersden?

the other side of Tenterden between Wittersham and Appledore. it’s not on the way to anywhere so very quiet.

Ah yes I know it, thats more on the Marsh than Ashford! Tenterden nice place too.

Does it still make financial sense doing this?

Last time i checked the figures it kind of made sense only if you’re in a couple and one person works locally or something? otherwise you’re taking money that would otherwise go into the value of the house and spending it on commuting.

Somewhere near East Croydon would be in cycling distance of both Liverpool Street and the North Downs (prob a similar place in North London somewhere but i don’t know that so well).

I used to live in Haywards Heath, its a pretty normal-ish commuting town (i.e. boring but nothing particularly wrong with it). I think i’d prefer somewhere like Redhill just because its nearer the North Downs for MTBing.

it’s definitely not part of the marsh! I’ll have you know come the big flood apocalypse it will be sitting pretty above sea level on the isle of Oxney as it was before 1635 when the river Rother changed it’s course.

plenty of people from the area drive to ashford and take the HSL or the fast train from Headcorn.

2:30 a day is 180 minutes.
180 times 5 is 900 minutes a week…

With maths like that a job in the City probably isn’t for you anyway 😉

mmmm, you hide the sixth digit well, but you are still a marsh-ite!

…and the OP doesn’t want to live in proper London?

Live in Haslemere and there is some good riding locally, but when we were looking to move I did fancy being closer to Dorking (my wife quickly saw through my lame made up non-MTB justifications to move there). Only thing is a 2 bed cottage in Peaslake was £500k a few years back (2007/8) 😥

My wife travels into East London, 1 hr 40 mins each way (door to door). I often drive (not into London), but it does involve the M25, which is hit and miss.

Not sure the work life balance is that easy to get right, but I would try and avoid having to change to the tube, or drive to the station at the home end. Both add to the travel costs and add time.

I commute into Liv St everyday. Essex isn’t all bad just mindless media giving it a bad name. Chelmsford and it’s surrounding areas are nice, Danbury’s nice and has some good trails. I’m quite a way out on the Essex/Suffolk border where the riding isn’t great but Thetford isn’t so far away and if I’m in desperate need of decent trails then I can get to Edale from my front door in 3.5 hours.

Been working in London for the last 10 years and have many times contemplated leaving to go work outside, but I once worked in Bournemouth and the thought of working outside the city without it’s vibe and social scene is something I am not ready for.

South of London appeals as a result of wanting to be able to continue with the Windsurfing fix as well.

I was looking on OS last night and I see what people mean by the lack of bridleways in some areas.

I have looked at Sanderstead / New Addington near East Croydon and agree that it does have great links and is within cycling distance of Liverpool St.

Need to try and convince her indoors that the riots where a one off.

As a commuter belt dweller myself you may wish to
Consider annual travel card costs.

Btw berkhamsted in herts

Currently paying £650 / month on train + parking so I am sure it will be considerably less than that

“cannon street is a ten minute walk to liverpool street so you could still look at kent and sussex. sevenoaks is nice and it`s close to some decent riding spots and pubs and restaurants.”

I do this the other way around… into Lstreet but office is directly above Cannon Street… yeah about a 10 minute walk, no worries…. or if the weather is really horrid jump on the circle line.

But might be a consideration for you … the service into Cannon Street seems poor… The Kent lads are late a fair bit espeically in snow/bad weather… the Essex boys never seem to have that problem…. but then it’s always sunny in Brentwood/Billers 😀

I used to live in Tonbridge and commuted to London, in those days it was Connex and woeful. Moved to London – hated that – now live in the Chilterns which are lovely but didn’t think about the fact that it takes me into Marylebone so have the long plod across London, around 1.5 hours at fastest. Add to that I don’t leave until 6 or 7 pm, so it’s a longish day. I have however taken to walking up the river each morning from Embankment – that is really nice.

Crikey – if your job is London-based (I would be unemployable elsewhere) and you don’t care for living in London, what choices do you have? With respect, a small element of reality missing from your comments?

Currently paying £650 / month on train + parking so I am sure it will be considerably less than that

Seriously? 😯

Perhaps consider chelmsford. It shall soon be going more oop market as John Lewis and Waitrose are setting up base there. There are some 30 minute trains to London. Possibly a bit less expensive than Billericay.

Another option is Shenfield though that ups the price quite a bit but you get a 23 minute commute to london for that. Some people go crazy over an extra 7 mnutes in bed!

@ flanagaj : Sanderstead is great, as is Riddlesdown where I live, both near Purley which as great rail links in all directions. I commute into London most days, it’s a 16 mile ride into City of London. There’s lots of XC riding on the door step, the North Downs in both directions, Surrey Hills actually starts near Caterham too. Dorking and Swinley a fairly short drive up the M25.

BTW – I never go anywhere near East Croydon, it’s apparently on the up though.

Surrey is a big place – yes its closer to London than Sussex but you get lots of lovely things too. North Downs, Surrey Hills, lots of other nice countyrside and fab pubs 🙂 Happy to show you trails too if you’re interested!

We’ve settled in Redhill – 40 mins to London, trails on the doorstep, South Downs 30 mins away. The town has a reputation for being a little colourful, but I think that’s changing now.
Oh and if you like twee shops than Reigate is next door – you can live there too if you can cope with 20% house price premium to do so :O

TM

There’s a line up to Cambridge from Liverpool street too

For some reason it gets all the knackered carriages and all the smart ones go on the Kings Cross line.

rewski – Do you have to drive to get your MTB fix living in Sanderstead or can you cycle there. I am really keen and up for moving to Sanderstead as it does sound like a pretty decent place.

I have also heard that Riddlesdown school is very good as well?